Terminals that make use of validators are known. Common examples include EGMs, vending machines, payment processing terminals, ticket acceptance machines and automatic teller machines that offer a cash-deposit facility. In each of these terminals, a user inserts a token into the validator to access a functionality of the terminal. In many scenarios the token is currency in bill form, although in some circumstances alternate tokens are used, such as tickets or coupons.
Many known terminals have a central control unit that controls the terminal's functionality and communicates with peripheral devices. Where such a terminal uses a validator, the central control unit is in communication with the validator to coordinate the granting of functionalities. For example, in many known EGMs, the validator receives a currency bill of a certain denomination. The validator validates the bill to ensure that it is acceptable under predetermined protocols and, assuming the note is acceptable, communicates a signal to the central control unit indicative of a note being accepted, and indicative of the denomination of the note. In response, the EGM increases the available playing credit by an increment corresponding to the denomination of the accepted note.
It is not unusual for known validators to malfunction. For example, validators often repeatedly reject acceptable currency because of a mechanical fault. Given that the commercial interests of an owner of a terminal using a faulty validator can be adversely affected, it is preferable to ensure validators function in line with predetermined standards. As such, a desire arises to monitor the operation of validators.
In many known terminals, particularly EGMs, it is difficult to access information about of the operation of the validator. Often, accessing such information requires manual intervention, and temporarily rendering the terminal out of service. This is a time-consuming process, and will commonly result in reduced revenue whilst the terminal is out of service. If such an intervention is not made regularly, there is a risk of a faulty validator causing problems and harming the commercial interests of the terminal's owner.
In this specification, the term validator refers to any electromechanical/optoelectrical device used to determine whether a provided token is of a certain standard, and communicate the result of the determination to a secondary source. In some cases, the secondary source includes the central control unit of a terminal.